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We recently asked the question, are bees actually pests? Bees are actually very important creatures, that pollinate over 70% of the world’s food crops. This not only helps the environment, their work also aids in feeding the human population. A big task! However, they can be unwanted around the home, especially when they build hives in doorways, corridors eating areas and places where children are playing. These hives can be intimidating, even life-threatening for people who suffer an allergic reaction to bees. However, sometimes what we perceive as a hive is actually the result of some disturbance, or change, within the colony, resulting is what is call “swarming”.

So, what does a bee swarm look like? At Right Pest Control, we often get calls about large, angry-seeming masses of bees on houses and properties in Melbourne’s north and eastern suburbs. Often the customer has noticed a mass of bees in a cluster the size of a football, buzzing around in quite a frantic manner. Although this can look like a beehive, it’s likely to be a swarm of bees. Swarming is a natural phenomenon that usually occurs during springtime over a period of two to three weeks. Simply, it could be described as the process in which a single colony multiplies to make two or more colonies. With springtime fast approaching, we can expect to see swarming soon on properties in Melbourne.

What we are seeing when we witness a bee swarm is the method by which a new honey bee colony is created. This is usually the result of the queen bee deciding to leave the original colony with a large group of her workers in tow; in a large swarm, about 60% of the workers follow her, with afterswarms sometimes continuing until a beehive is almost totally depleted of workers. The swarm can contain thousands to tens of thousands of bees, which makes it unsurprising that their gathering in your driveway, porch or ceiling can be too close for comfort!

At Right Pest Control, we often get distressed calls from customers in Melbourne’s northern and eastern suburbs about bees and bee infestations. We all remember the first time we were stung by a bee, usually as a kid. It’s painful, and unpleasant, and, due of this, bees frighten many people by merely buzzing around the garden. But if you have bees in your backyard, you should consider yourself lucky! Bees are not considered pests at all, instead they are, according to some, the most important animals on the planet! However, this doesn’t mean we always want them to make their home where they choose to make it, and that’s where Right Pest Control can help.

So why are bees so special? Bees are the world’s most vital pollinators. Pollination is a fertilisation process in which pollen—a powdery substance found on flowers, the male “sperm” of seed plants—is transported to the female reproductive organs of another plant. For seed plants to pass their genetic information on to the next generation, the process of pollination is vital. For this to be successful, pollination requiring a pollen grain, produced by the anther, or male part of the flower, being transferred to a stigma, or female part of the flower of the same species. Bees help the world by transferring pollen from flower to flower through a process known as “biotic pollination”.

So what makes honey bees the most important pollinator for agricultural crops worldwide? Bees are great pollinators as the hairs all over their tiny bodies attract pollen grains through electrostatic forces. Anatomically, stiff hairs on the legs of bees enable them to groom the pollen into special pollen sacs on their legs or body, and then carry it back to their nest or hive. In addition to their anatomical advantage, individual bees commonly focus on one type of flower at a time, which means it is more likely that pollen from one flower will be transferred to another flower of the same species by a particular bee. Many plants require this kind of pollen distribution, known as cross-pollination, in order to produce viable seeds.

This process makes bees one of, if not the most, vital species to exist on the planet. As bees pollinate 80% of flowering plants on Earth – with a single colony able to pollinate an astonishing 300 million flowers every day – bees are the major contributor to the natural floral landscape as we know it. In turn, this makes them very important for humans, as bees pollinate 70 of the top 100 food crops, with fruits such as avocados, apples and cherries being 90% dependent on bee pollination.

Right Pest Control knows how stressful moving house can be. We therefore offer a fast and cost-effective service for removing pests from your rental property in Melbourne’s north and eastern suburbs. This is good to know, when the process of moving house has been equated to starting a new job, relationship breakdown and even divorce! Not only does moving take an impact physically, the rigmarole of moving from one house to another can be emotionally and mentally taxing. Under this pressure, it isn’t surprising that many people forget, or are unaware, that pest control needs to be on their to-do list.

While the Residential Tenancies Act (1997) in Victoria doesn’t explicitly state who is responsible for the removal of pests from a rented home– the lessee or the property agent– there are some rules that should be abided by. Generally, if the house suffers from pests when the tenants move in, it could be seen to be the responsibility of the agent. However, pests introduced while the tenants are leasing the property are likely to become the responsibility of the tenant. A common example of this are pests such as fleas attracted by pets, bed bugs by low hygiene standards or ants, rats, mice and cockroaches drawn to the property by rubbish and food waste left lying around. Many of these pests carry disease and cause damage to property, making it difficult to get your bond back. In fact, some tenancy agreements will stipulate special terms for the removal of pests, such as a flea treatment of the house if you have cats or dogs, or even a general pest control program upon your leaving.

With this in mind, it is important to be aware of pests when moving from your rental property. Despite there not being a definitive rule for this scenario, it is possible, and likely in extreme cases, that pest issues on a property are resolved at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). This involves money, time and official inquiries into the state of the rental property. All good things to avoid! However, this is an extreme measure, and one that can be avoided with the right assistance. That’s why Right Pest Control are here to help you remove pests at the end of your lease, assisting you in your measures to maintain your rental history and receive your bond back.

Rats and mice: the creatures of nightmares. Around the world, these pests are known to spread over 35 diseases that can affect people and pets. And sadly Melbourne is not at all safe from these critters. Introduced to Australia during colonisation, mice and rats have caused havoc since. Strangely, and without an exact reason to date, Australia and China are the only two countries where mouse plagues occur. This is probably due to a lack of natural predators to keep these rodents under control. And we have been hit badly on many occasions, approximately every four years in the southern states. Perhaps the worst instance occurred here in 1993, where mammoth numbers of mice caused approximately $96 million worth of damage. These nasty pests went about destroying thousands of hectares of crops, attacked livestock, damaged vehicles and ruined buildings.

Rat Exterminator Melbourne/Pest Control Melbourne

However, more recent plagues have continued to damage property, cause health risks and frighten residents. In 2017, mouse plagues rocked Melbourne, with rodents migrating enmasse from the west of Victoria. Due to increased wet weather and a “bumper harvest”, spring proved a great time for these pests to breed; however, in winter when the mercury dropped and temperatures hit rock bottom, mice and rats fled for warmer weather in droves, preferably seeking the comfort of the indoors. The plague moved from Victoria’s rural areas to the outer suburbs, and by this time one year ago, mice and rats had reached the inner city in huge numbers.

And that wasn’t the end of it. Just a few months later during breeding season, a plague of a different kind hit the city. For anyone that lives on a train line in inner city Melbourne, you might remember closures. For those living close to the CBD, it is likely you had a few unwanted house guests! This was due to the new metro rail tunnel works disturbing a hidden swarm of rats. This “subterranean” group of rodents had been disturbed by the increased construction activity, sending them scampering to the surface, through the rail tunnels, into the city, its shops and houses. Areas especially affected and targeted by pest controllers were Flagstaff Gardens, Batman Park, Carlton Gardens and Fitzroy Gardens.

I would love to say the rodent plagues that hit Melbourne last year have dissipated. However, from my experience, the rodent problem in Melbourne’s inner and outer suburbs has only gotten worse this winter. With very low temperatures, mice and rats will be looking for somewhere warm to sleep and breed. Be sure to contact Right Pest Control’s expert rodent control team on 0478 308 361. We can safely and quickly assess and eradicate a rodent problem from your Melbourne home, business or property.

Unlike the white-tailed spider, that has earnt itself a nasty reputation since the 1980s for reasons perhaps undeserved, the redback spider is a different case altogether. The redback spider (Latrodectus hasseltii) is a species of highly venomous spider believed to originate in the South Australian or adjacent Western Australian deserts, but is now found throughout Australia, Southeast Asia and New Zealand. Responsible for fatalities and serious illness, this spider often makes an appearance on “dangerous creatures” lists, earning Australia its reputation as a home of some of the world’s most threatening species.

Redback Spider/Pest Control Melbourne

The striking characteristics of the female redback spider are what we most commonly associate with this alarming insect: a bold, red stripe striking down the upper side of her 10 mm black abdomen, and an hourglass shaped orange streak beneath her, are unique to this species. Luckily, these markings make her easily recognisable, while her smaller male counterpart reaches only three to four mm in length, is much plainer in appearance, and isn’t venomous at all.

Coming out at night, the female redback chooses a warm, sheltered location to cast her often unruly looking web. Unfortunately, this is very often near, or inside, human homes and properties, where she preys on other spiders and small vertebrates that become ensnared in her web. The redback most commonly feeds on insects, like trapdoor spiders and fruit flies, or crustaceans such as woodlice. However, these spiders have been known to feast on small lizards, mice and even snakes!

Not for the faint-hearted, the female redback kills her prey by injecting it with venom through her two fangs, before wrapping the victim in silk and sucking out its liquefied insides. To initially immobolise its victim, the redback spider often squirts her prey with a glue-like substance that sticks its legs to the rest of its body, stopping it from escaping. She then wraps the body in silk, and bites the prey repeatedly on its head, body and leg segments before taking it back to a hidden retreat for consumption. This process can take some hours if the prey is dangerous, strong and continues to pose a threat to the redback spider, however the prey are most usually consumed in five to 20 minutes from the first bite.

As food scraps and light attract insects to areas of human occupation, this too attracts the redback; for this reason, it is vital to remove redback spiders from your property safely and professionally. The redback spider is commonly found around homes in the northern and eastern suburbs of Melbourne, and is one of the few spider species that can be seriously harmful to humans. Affecting the central and peripheral nervous system, the venom gives rise to a syndrome known as “latrodectism”. Latrodectism is a condition associated specifically with the bite of widow spiders (of which the redback is one), and starts with pain around the bite site, which usually becomes very severe and progresses up the bitten limb for over 24 hours and up to six days. Generalised symptoms of swelling, nausea, vomiting, headache, and agitation may also occur and indicate severe envenomation. Since an anti-venom was created in 1956, there have been no deaths from this species. However the systematic response to female redback spider bites is severe, painful and can cause death to animals. Should someone be bitten in your home, seek medical attention immediately, and contact Right Pest Control for the safe and professional removal of redback spiders from properties in Melbourne.

Commonly mistaken for ants, termites are classified in the same order as cockroaches. However, it is unsurprising that these pests are known as “wood ants” or “white ants”, as certain termite species have been known to cause great damage to homes and structures.

The eusocial termite builds complex colonies. For this reason, they are known as ‘superorganisms’, as the individual insects form part of a self-regulating entity: the colony itself. These colonies live in nests that are composed of two parts: the inanimate (still) and the animate (living). The inanimate nest consists of all the termites living inside the nest, while the inanimate nest is the structure itself, made usually from termite faeces (partly digested plant matter). However, when these insects take up residence in the walls of a home, the worker mites go about consuming the wooden structure to build their nest. This often has dire and expensive consequences for homeowners.

Here is a Termite nest we removed from a wall cavity

As termites prefer warmer climates, they are common to Australia. With Melbourne experiencing higher than usual temperatures, termite damage has been on the rise for the past two years. As their nests are often inconspicuously located within the structure of the building, it is not always easy to spot the termites’ well-hidden colony. However, factors that indicate your home may be the victim of these pests include: a clicking sound of the termites eating; flying or swarming termites (fertile male and females) that have left the nest to build a new colony; hollow sounding timber; tight fitting doors and windows caused by moisture the termites leave in the wood as they eat; fine tunnels in wood that falls from the house; droppings (frass) left behind from drywood termites that push their faeces outside instead of using it to build a nest (like other varieties of termite).

Homeowners can reduce the risk of a termite attack by:

Eliminating wood contact with the ground. If the structure of your home meets the ground, termites have the perfect pathway into the structure of the building. Sidings, latticework, window frames and other wooden items should be maintained approximately 30 centimetres above the ground to reduce the risk of this pathway.

Reducing moisture build-up at the foundation of your property. Like many other insects, termites are attracted to sites where there is an easily-accessible water supply. Water should be diverted away from the building with well-constructed gutters, spouts and splash backs, as leaking faucets and outlets will only encourage these pests to move into your property.

Lowering humidity is the crawl space beneath your home. Crawl space, or the area beneath a house, should be ventilated to reduce the humidity that termites thrive in. Vents should be kept free from dirt, leaves and debris, as to encourage air flow and cooling.

Excess wood and plant matter should be removed from the close perimeter of your home. Excess wood such as rubbish, mulch, vegetation and fire wood should not come in contact with the crawl space or foundation. A build-up of this material encourages termites to nest and move into the structure of your home.

As Melbourne has reached higher than usual levels of infestation over the past two years due to warmer weather conditions, it is important to prevent termites attacking your home or work property. If you anticipate your property has become infested with this destructive guest, call the expert termite removers at Right Pest Control on 0478 308 361. We will assess the termite problem and carry out the safe and necessary measures to eliminate termites causing further damage to your property.

Termite Control In Greater Melbourne

As they are often referred to as “white ants” or “wood ants”, termites are commonly thought to be a member of the ant family. However, the termite is actually classified, along with the cockroach, in the order, Blattodea. With over 3000 species, the general appearance of the termite is most usually small, measuring between 4 and 15 millimetres. Like many insects, the female queens are much larger than their male counterparts, with one species measuring up to 10 centimetres in length! The body of the termite is split into segments—head, thorax and ten-segmented abdomen—while, interestingly, most worker termites are completely blind as they do not have eyes.
Like bees and wasps, the termite is a eusocial insect, building a society where labour is divided among various castes. Sterile male and female worker termites carry out most of the tasks for the rest of the colony, and are responsible for foraging, food storage, and brood and nest maintenance. As workers are the termites digesting the cellulose to make the nest, they are the caste most commonly found in infested wooden homes and abandoned structures. The winged, fertile castes of male ‘kings’ and female ‘queens’ are responsible solely for reproduction.
For these reasons, termite colonies are often described as ‘superorganisms’ because the individual insects form part of a self-regulating entity: the colony itself. These colonies live in nests that are composed of two parts: the inanimate (still) and the animate (living). The inanimate nest consists of all the termites living inside the nest, while the inanimate nest is the structure itself, made primarily from termite faeces (partly digested plant matter).
Termite nests take of different forms and can be separated into three main categories: subterranean (completely below ground), epigeal (protruding above the soil surface), and arboreal (built above ground, but always connected to the ground via what is known as ‘shelter tubes’). The function of the nest is to act as a protected living space and provide shelter from predators. The most common type of termite nest is those found underground. However, the termite nest most dreaded by humans is, of course, the one that occupies the wooden structures of houses. Drywood termites are termites known to consume, often quite subtly for years, the foundations of houses and structures in warm climates; these termites can also occupy heated structures in cooler climates.
It is important to prevent termite attacks in your home or work property, as Melbourne has reached higher than usual levels of infestation over the past two years due to warmer weather conditions. If your home or work property has become been infested with this destructive guest, call the expert termite removers at Right Pest Control on 0478 308 361.

There is a special kind of disgust among people for the common cockroach. This fear—known as Katsaridaphobia when experienced at its worst—might stem from several reasons. Perhaps it’s the unfathomable idea that cockroaches will outlive humans, as they can withstand 2000 times the radiation levels people can. Or the fact that these insects can live for days on end without food. It might very well be the diseases spread by this hardy mite. Or just the ever-surprising way a roach can scurry across the floor late at night when we are least expecting it. For whatever reason, the cockroach is one of the world’s most skin-crawling pests, and they are prevalent in Melbourne’s suburbs.
Cockroaches belong to the insect order Blattodea. There are more than 4,000 species of cockroaches worldwide, yet only a small number are considered pests. However, the cockroaches “high pest status” comes from their wide distribution, close association with humans and human environments and potential to carry disease. One of the more disturbing characteristics of the cockroach is a pheromone contained in the insect’s faeces that is spread when the roach presses or smears its excrement onto surfaces to mark feeding and gathering sites.
The most common species of cockroach found in Melbourne’s northern and eastern suburbs are the German, American, Oriental and Australian varieties. While the smaller common shining cockroach (Drymaplaneta communis) is a native and does not spread disease or feast on left overs, the other varieties can cause more than just repulsion. These pests can contaminate your home environment by leaving droppings and bacteria scattered around, including antibiotic-resistant strains. These bacteria, such as salmonella, can even cause food poisoning should the roaches be taking up residence in kitchens. Secondly, cockroaches can leave behind tiny parts of their body when grooming themselves. These particles remain in the dust in your home or property, contributing to allergies, asthma and other respiratory problems.
So how can we avoid cockroach outbreaks in our homes and properties in Melbourne? Cockroaches are most likely to infest places where abundant food, water and shelter is present. Cockroaches eat almost any animal or vegetable material, including paper, fabric, leather, starches and grease particles, so it is important to keep a clean and tidy space. Bins and rubbish should be removed from inside as soon as possible, and children should be taught to touch or pick up these diseased pests.
Should you find yourself with cockroaches in your Melbourne home or property, call the expert cockroach removalists at Right Pest Control on 0478 308 361.

A client in Melbourne’s CBD could not understand why they were waking with rows of bites each morning. When they contacted our expert pest control in Melbourne about this problem and described what was happening, we suspected it would be bed bugs. We suggested that they contact their real estate agent as they had only been living in this property for a week, and with their approval we went in to do and inspection. It didn’t take long to confirm the problem with a quick inspection of the the bed and frame. Bed bugs have become a large problem throughout Melbourne CBD of recent times with the increase of overseas travelers staying long periods of time in fully furnished apartments and shared accommodation. While bed bugs do feed on human blood they do not carry or transfer disease to the recipient. One thing that we have noticed at Right Pest Control is the majority of our clients receiving bites from bed bugs are female rather than male. There is no scientific study to suggest that bed bugs feed more often on females than males but this is just something we notice.

The average life span of a bed bug is between 6-12 months and a female can lay between 1-5 eggs per day,within 10 days of hatching a newly emerged bed bug is out for a feed so at this stage you may notice an increase in bites. So it don’t take long for an infestation to get out of control in a short period of time. While each adult bed bug only needs to feed approximately every 10 days. When a bed bug bites its victim it also injects enzymes and an anticoagulant to stop the blood from clotting during feeding,while the recipient will not be aware of this happing until several hours later when the sore and itchy welts come about.

With an inspection program and monitoring systems available these are great tools for hotels and hostels to stay on top of the increasing problem we have in melbourne. Prevention is always a better solution than waiting until its to late having your valuable clients complaining and putting bad reviews about your business which can be very damaging to your bottom line.

CALL US FOR BED BUG REMOVAL IN YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS – 04783 08 361

CALL NOW TO RID YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS OF RATS AND MICE. 0478308361

Now that winter has begun Paul from Right Pest Control said he has noticed the influx of rodent calls coming in especially from the Northern Suburbs, although rodents are all over Melbourne it seems we are receiving a large amount of work in the Mernda, Epping & Craigieburn areas.

Most people say they can not believe the amount of noise a rat can make in the roof and mostly believe it is a possum in there. But after a quick inspection it doesn’t take long to determine that rats are the culprits for all that scurrying, scratching noise keeping people awake at night. But all the noises you hear are the least of your problems. Paul says it is more the smells and droppings they leave behind. Without a bladder as such, Rats & Mice urinate and defecate constantly everywhere they walk leaving behind that terrible stench in the insulation of your home. This is why it is important to get a Rat Exterminator in as soon as you hear these noises. Replacing insulation and heating ducts in your roof can be expensive, needless to say the amount of damage they do to wiring and data cables.

Recently one client from Craigieburn had problems with their alarm system not working and one of the sensors failing to light up. It didn’t take long to inspect the roof and work out that the data cable was completely chewed through leaving their home unprotected.

Some clients are really freaked out and get quiet distressed at the thought of rats and mice in their roof. Even the cleanest homes get rodent problems at this time of the year Paul says. They do not discriminate on which home they move into, if they can find entry points into your home or business property it doesn’t take them long to settle in, causing you some sleepless nights.

That’s where we come in, taking all the necessary steps to take care of your property keeping you and your loved ones safe from not only rodents but all pests. Our Melbourne Pest Control expert technicians will give you all the advice you need to know about what we have done and what we will do. Something we hear from a lot of clients is “I’m going to ask a silly question”, no question is a silly question to us. At Right Pest Control, we love to spend time with our valuable clients so they totally understand the process of what we have done. Customer service is the number one priority at Right Pest Control.

Feel free to contact Right Pest Control at any time. 0478 308 361

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About Us

This family owned & run business has over 15 years of pest control experience right here in Melbourne. Right Pest Control Melbourne is proud to be a leading pest control company that can take care of all your pest control needs. We only provide the safest and most effective pest control methods in both domestic and commercial environments. Our highly trained Pest Control Melbourne Technicians are fully licensed to identify and eradicate all pests in and around your home or business.